1. Field
This disclosure relates to printing systems, more particularly to printing systems without fixed print heads.
2. Background
Printing systems have become very common computer peripherals. A printing system, or printer, typically has a case in which is contained the print head, the electronics which control the movement of the print head, and the ink supply that forms the visible images from the patterns created by the print head. The case also typically contains the various accessories that allow the printer to function; including paper feed rollers, power supplies, and the control panel, if any. In the case of toner-based printers, there will typically also be an optical photoreceptive substrate, such as a roller or belt that receives light patterns that are then converted to images by the toner, and fusers for fusing the toner onto the paper.
Generally, print systems have print heads that move in a linear fashion, with the image being created as the paper is scanned by the print head. Each time the print head traverses the paper or other print substrate, a line of the image is created. The fixed path of the print head provides a stable platform for image formation. Without it, the image may have objectionable artifacts, such as uneven characters on a line.
However, the fixed path of the print head limits applications of printers, such as on uneven surfaces or those surfaces that cannot be put inside a printer case. The casing in which the print head is contained can also limit the sizes of the substrates upon which printing is desired. Specialized printers can be purchased for printing items smaller than business cards and larger than posters and blueprints, but the printer limits the average user.
It would be useful to have a printer that is not limited to a particular application, substrate size, or surface characteristic, while still allowing accurate rendering of images.